Garbage-can cover



H. O. WITTE ET AL GARBAGE CAN COVER Filed Aug. 13. 1923 Patented May 27, 1924.

HENRY 0. WITTE AND HERMAN H. WITTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIRS OF ONE-HALF TO ADOL'F 1. WITTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GARBAGE-CAN COVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, I-IENRY O. VVITTE and HERMAN H. IVITTE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, Cook County, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garbage-Can Covers, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to garbage can covers and its principal object is to provide improved means'in a can cover, for supplying a disinfectant and deordorant to the interior of the can and to the atmosphere surrounding it. Another object is to provide a valve controlled reservoir for the disinfectant, having novel means whereby small quantities of the disinfectant may be automatically released whenever the can cover is handled. Another object is to provide a sponge containing chamber aroundthe reservoir, having perforated walls for the escape of vapors given ofi by the disinfectant, after having been released from the reservoir and absorbed by the sponge.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a garbage can cover, embodying a simple form of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan, partly broken out, and Fig. 4 is a detail, vertical cross-section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawing, which illustrates a simple embodiment of the present invention, the reference character 5 designates the top wall of the cover and 6, the bottom wall, which walls are soldered or otherwise secured together and form between; them, a receptacle or chamber 7. The top 5 is formed with the usual flange or rim 8 which fits over the can or other garbage receptacle, and a handle 9 is provided for handling the cover. The bottom wall 6 is preferably made in the form of an inverted cone, although this is not essential to the invention broadly considered. The top and bottom walls are perforated as at 10, 11 for the escape of vapors from the chamber 7 Located in the hollow or chamber 7 formed by the walls 5, 6 is a reservoir 12, which in its present form, comprises a cup like container soldered or otherwise secured to the underside of the top wall 5. A threaded nipple 13 is secured to the top 5 and provides a filler opening for the reservoir, and a threaded cap 14 is secured on said nipple 13 toclose said filler opening. The side wall 15 of the reservoir is of frustoconical formation and contains a plurality of ports 16 preferably formed bypunching the metal inwards to leave a rounded edge portion against which seats a ball or flap valve 17 hingedly secured to the reservoir and seating on said rounded edge and closing the port by gravity. By reason of the sloping wall, with the valve hinged on the outerside, the valve seats automatically and closes the port in the reservoir, preventing unnecessary escape of the contents.

In the chamber surrounding the reservoir are sponges 18 which absorb fluid which is discharged from the reservoir. In use the reservoir 12 is filled or partially filled with a suitable disinfectant and deodorant (fluid) and the filler cap replaced over thev filler opening. By tilting the can cover the valve, which then takes the lowermost position, automatically swings outward, opens the port and permits a quantity of the fluid to escape into the chamber 7, where it is absorbed by the sponges 18. It may be found desirable to discharge enough fluid, in the first instance, to saturate the sponges. The vapors or gases issuing from the saturated sponges escape through the perforations in the top and bottom walls. When placed upon a garbage can, part of the vapor or gas enters the garbage can and deodorizes the contents in a great measure, and eliminates many of the objectionable features connected with garbage cans. No especial attention need be given to the cover or to the maintenance of fluid in the sponges, as a small quantity will be discharged from the reservoir each time the cover is handled, at

least when it is tiled, and this happens frequently during the handling thereof. The user may, as a precaution, purposely tilt the cover occasionally thereby permitting a quantity of the fluid to be discharged into the sponges. The reservoir is refilled whenever it becomes empty.

A particular advantage, which is found with the use of a cover embodying the pres- 11o ent invention, is that there is no continuous dripping of the disinfectant, nor is the bottom of the cover apt to become covered with the disinfectantbut it remains in a practically dry condition. It preverves cleanliness and removes offensive odors usually attendant with garbage cans.

We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A garbage can cover, comprising a top portion in the form of a flanged perforated can cover, a perforated bottom portion secured to the underside thereof and forming therebetween a chamber, a fluid reservoir, having ports opening to said-chamber, gravity operated normally closed valves for 0011- trolling said ports, and a body of absorbent material in said chamber.

2. A garbage can cover, comprising a top portion in the form of a perforated flanged can cover, a perforated bottom portion of inverted conoidal form scoured thereto and forming a chamber therebetween, a fluid reservoir in said chamber secured to the top portion, the side walls of which are of frusto-conical formation and have ports therein, normally closed flap valves for closing the said ports, and a body of absorbent material contained in said chamber around said reservoir.

3. A garbage can cover, comprising a top portion in the form of a perforated flanged can cover, a perforated bottom portion of inverted conoidal form secured thereto and forming a chamber therebetween, a fluid reservoir in said chamber secured to the top portion, the side walls of which are of frusto-conical formation and have ports therein, and normally closed flap valves for closing said ports.

HENRY O. WITTE. HERMANII. WITTE. 

